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Virginia

Assange Arrested, Massive Avenatti Indictment, Virginia Dems Apologize to Northam

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Jim Geraghty of National Review and Greg Corombos of Radio America celebrate the arrest of the founder of Wikileaks leader Julian Assange, the man responsible for the largest publication of classified material in history that risked compromising American troops and operations. They also remember all the times the media pushed disgraced attorney Michael Avenatti as a serious candidate for 2020 after Avenatti was indicted on 36 charges of tax dodging, perjury, and theft from clients. And they wonder what lessons have really been learned in Virginia after Democrats in the state apologize for rushing to judgment on Ralph Northam.

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Terror Attack Foiled, Good Polls for Bad Virginians, Reid Suit Rejected

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Jim Geraghty of National Review and Greg Corombos of Radio America breathe a sigh of relief after an ISIS-inspired terror plot targeting Maryland’s National Harbor was stopped. They also take a look at the recent polls in Virginia and speculate as to how state Democrats are mired in horrible scandals yet the voters want none of them out of office. And they not exactly surprised to learn that former Senator Majority Leader Harry Reid was caught in multiple falsehoods in claiming a fitness company’s negligence was responsible for his bizarre facial injury four years ago.  Reid’s case has been thrown out.

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Virginia GOP Candidate: Dem Scandals ‘Insult to Dumpster Fires’

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Campaign season is revving up in Virginia with all legislative seats on the ballot this year and a prominent Republican challenger is warning Virginia of what Democratic control of the commonwealth would look like while blasting state leaders for their current racism scandals.

Over the past three weeks, all three of Virginia’s statewide elected leaders found themselves mired in scandal.  Gov. Ralph Northam gave a radio interview that seemed to condone infanticide and then was discovered to have a photo on his page of a medical school yearbook that showed one person in blackface and another in KKK dress.

Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax is accused of sexual assault by two women, and Attorney General Mark Herring admitted to wearing blackface in college just days after declaring Northam needed to step down.

D.J. Jordan is a longtime public relations expert on Capitol Hill and beyond.  He is running to unseat first-term Democrat Elizabeth Guzman in Virginia’s 31st district.  He says the Democrats have covered themselves in disgrace.

“I would call our executive branch leadership right now a dumpster fire but I think that would be an insult to dumpster fires,” said Jordan.  “As a black conservative, I’ve been saying for a long time that Democrats don’t hold any moral authority on the issue of race.  I think the nation is now seeing that in Virginia with Gov. Northam and his scandal.”

Jordan is especially galled by the Northam revelations following Northam’s aggressive labeling of Republican rival Ed Gillespie as a racist in the 2017 governor’s race “for things that were definitely not even close to racism.”

“Our country will never move forward on the issue of race unless we stop weaponizing race issues and actually create a different culture where we respect and trust each other,” said Jordan.

But Jordan says he’s mystified at how Northam has not gotten as much grief over his late-term abortion comments.

“I am disappointed that Northam’s blackface controversy has gotten more attention than his support for late-term abortion and infanticide.  Both of these issues in my opinion are connected.  They are both an assault against human dignity – racism and abortion,” said Jordan.

Removing abortion restrictions was just one bill pushed by Democrats earlier this year.  They also called for numerous gun control measures, a $15 minimum wage, and a repeal of right to work laws.  Jordan says the narrow GOP majorities in the legislature stopped all of those measures, but it will be a different story if Democrats control the legislature next year.

“All of the crazy left-leaning bills that you have seen that are introduced that have been stopped would become law next year,” said Jordan.

That’s why Jordan is running to unseat Guzman, who he says is simply too far left to properly represent the district.

“Elizabeth Guzman is very, very liberal.  Her policies are very far to the left.  She takes a lot of cues and direction from the national liberal progressive movement, whether it be introducing a bill to prohibit plastic straws in the state of Virginia or whether it be her belief in Medicare for all,” said Jordan.

Jordan says he’s running to stop the socialist mindset from gaining the upper hand in Virginia.

“I’m running to defend freedom and opportunity in Virginia.  I believe the principles that helped my father escape poverty in the Tidewater area of Virginia – and then he went on to build a small business for himself and provide a life for me.   I feel like those principles are under attack in Virginia,” said Jordan.

Calling himself an “opportunity conservative,” Jordan says he wants to champion education and economic opportunity.  He says his earlier service on Virginia’s State Board of Social Services proved to him that endless government programs do not solve poverty.

“I saw a lot of policies that helped low-income people, but I saw way more policies that actually hurt poor people because it created government dependency,” said Jordan.

Listen to the full podcast to hear more of Jordan’s opportunity agenda, why he thinks Republicans can find a receptive audience among black voters if they make the effort, and why he thinks the 2019 elections in Virginia will not resemble the Democratic waves of 2017 and 2018.

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Del. Freitas Discusses Volatile Virginia Politics

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Virginia Republicans passed a tax relief bill in the House of Delegates Monday, the latest major development in a year already full of fierce debate in the legislature and massive scandal for the three statewide elected leaders.

Republican Del. Nick Freitas talked about all of these major issues with us.  Freitas is cheering the legislation passed Monday that is aimed at making sure some Virginia families do not actually pay more in taxes as a result of the 2017 federal tax reform.  That law limits the deductions for state and local taxes on federal returns, leaving some in the commonwealth with a higher net tax burden.

Republicans have been pushing the tax relief plan for weeks but until this week Gov. Ralph Northam insisted on collecting the additional revenues and using it to pay for budget priorities and redirect it to low-income Virginians.

Late last week, Northam – who is desperately clinging to his job in the wake of the blackface yearbook scandal – relented and agreed in principle to the GOP tax demands.

“The governor does not need to add one more scandal to the pile of scandals he has mounting up on his desk right now,” said Freitas, who says Republicans had no intention of allowing Northam’s redistribution plan to go forward.

“He was going to take money from the people that paid the taxes and give it to other people.  We just outright rejected that,” said Freitas.

Many Virginia Democrats accused Republicans of racial insensitivity by focusing on wealthier Virginians keep more of their money rather than move it to poorer families.

Freitas is having none of that, especially this week.

“They know that none of this is based off of racism.  The only people right now having a problem with racism in the Commonwealth of Virginia are the governor and the attorney general,” said Freitas, referring to Northam and Attorney General Mark Herring, who last week admitted to his own experience with blackface while in college.

Freitas says some very basic principles are at work in the tax debate.

“If you pay taxes, we want you to get a tax cut, but if you haven’t paid taxes, well then you can’t get a tax cut,” said Freitas.

“[Democrats] want to increase government spending.  They want to increase wealth redistribution.  They want to use the tax code to punish success, because the more money they have in order to distribute to voters, the better it is for them politically.

“As we’ve seen in every area where they’ve tried this – whether it’s globally, in the United States, or in the Commonwealth of Virginia – it never seems to work out for the people who they claim they want to help but it always seems to work out for the politicians that get to hand it out,” said Freitas.

While the tax relief for 2018 and 2019 appears on track to become law, several ambitious bills sponsored by Virginia Democrats were narrowly derailed by the Republican majority in the House of Delegates and the Virginia Senate.

Democrats pushed more than a dozen gun control bills, a plan to repeal Virginia’s right to work laws, a push for a $15 per hour minimum wage and legislation to roll back abortion restrictions and allow the termination of pregnancies even in the moments just before birth.

Northam was feeling the heat on abortion in the days leading up to the yearbook scandal.

“The way Gov. Northam described it, the child could actually be born and, in his words, the child would be kept comfortable while a conversation ensued.  A conversation about what, governor?  At that point, we’re talking about a child that has been born,” said Freitas.

Republicans hold a narrow 51-49 majority in the House of Delegates and a 21-19 edge in the Virginia Senate.  Freitas says if Democrats win control of both chambers, Virginians will be in for a very rude surprise.

“I don’t want to throw all Democrats into this category, because I don’t think that’s appropriate, but the new left that has taken over and become the thought leader of the Democratic Party?  They’re terrifying,” said Freitas.  “You have not seen the extent of the crazy that they will be able to bring to Richmond if they take control of the House of Delegates and the Senate next year.”

As for the scandals, enveloping Northam and Herring, Freitas is stunned that neither of them knew better than to wear blackface in the 1980’s and that Herring would call on Northam to resign while knowing he had done the same thing.

When it comes to the sexual assault allegations against Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax, Freitas says the accusations from the two accusers rings true for him, but he says that’s not reason enough to deny Fairfax his chance to defend himself.

“I find it very convincing.  I find it very believable.  But one of the things that I acknowledge is my beliefs in something is not sufficient evidence to convict someone.  We have due process of law in this country for a reason.

“And let’s face it, this would not be the first time a group of powerful white people decided to deny due process to a black man because they found him inconvenient,” said Freitas.

Listen to the full podcast to learn why Republicans needed 80 of 100 votes in the House of Delegates to pass the tax bill and to hear more of Freitas on abortion and the scandals swirling around Richmond.

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Northam’s Weak Defense, Omar’s Anti-Semitism, Booker’s Climate Comparison

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Jim Geraghty of National Review and Greg Corombos of Radio America blast Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam for suggesting that all of Virginia was as behind on race relations as he is and that only he can heal the divisions there because he’s a doctor.  They also explain why Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar is morally and factually bankrupt for suggesting that the only reason many lawmakers support Israel is because they get money from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.  And they patiently try to tell 2020 presidential candidate and New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker that debating climate change is not the same as fighting the Nazis.

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Northam Caves on Taxes, Green New Deal Nonsense, Gabbard’s Unwanted Admirers

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Jim Geraghty of National Review and Greg Corombos of Radio America are still shaking their heads over the political chaos in Virginia, but they are happy to see a weakened Gov. Ralph Northam give Republicans most of what they want on tax relief.  They also point out some of the most insane provisions included in the Green New Deal, proving how out of touch the socialists in the Democratic Party really are.  And they shudder as former KKK official David Duke endorses Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard for president because he thinks Gabbard is least likely to send troops to die on behalf of Israel in the Middle East.  Gabbard has denounced Duke and rejected the endorsement.

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Scott’s Secret, Minnesota Mean? What Next in Virginia?

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Jim Geraghty of National Review and Greg Corombos of Radio America discuss the news that Virginia Democratic Rep. Bobby Scott knew about the allegation against now-Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax before Fairfax took office.  They also react to former staffers unloading on 2020 Democratic hopeful and Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar over her alleged cruelty and constant criticism.  And they marvel at how slowly many Democrats are reacting to the political chaos in Virginia and conclude that none of the officials embroiled in controversy will actually resign.

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Trump’s High Notes, Foreign Policy Fumbles, Herring Admits to Blackface

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Jim Geraghty of National Review and Greg Corombos of Radio America are pleasantly surprised at President Trump’s State of the Union address, in which he extolled the greatness of America, condemned socialism and late term abortion and found several issues where bipartisan cooperation seems plausible.  They also cringe at some other moments in the speech including Trump’s contentions that investigations of him will hurt the economy, that you can negotiate peace with the Taliban, and that another summit with Kim Jong-Un is a good idea.  And their jaws hit the floor as Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring admits to dressing up in blackface while in college, just days after calling on Gov. Ralph Northam to resign.

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Cuomo Blames Trump for Lost Revenue, Dem Voters Sticking with Northam, Fairfax Accuser Hires Ford’s Lawyers

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Jim Geraghty of National Review and Greg Corombos of Radio America see a teachable moment as New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo blames President Trump and the GOP tax reform for many wealthy people leaving his state over high taxes, but the solution would seem to be pretty simple.  They’re also surprised to see 50 percent of Democratic voters in Virginia approving of Ralph Northam as governor – even after the yearbook controversy.  And they react to the accuser of Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax hiring Christine Blasey Ford’s legal team.

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Cuccinelli Dissects Northam Mess

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Former Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli III says he is surprised that the Ralph Northam he knows would put a racist photo in a medical school yearbook, but he thinks Northam needs to resign.  But he says revived allegations of sexual assault against the man who would replace Northam make things even more complicated.

On Friday, Big League Politics broke the story of the photo showing one man in blackface and another in a Ku Klux Klan outfit.  Northam initially apologized for appearing in the photo but later said he was certain he was in in it and has no idea how it got on his yearbook page.

Cuccinelli served with Northam in the Virginia State Senate and says the revelation came as a very big surprise.

“It’s really at odds with his personality and his behavior.  I’ve never observed him undertaking a racist act or statement or seen evidence of so much as a thought in all of the years I’ve known Ralph, which is more than a decade now.  So this is all the more shocking,” said Cuccinelli, who seems to agree that Northam can no longer effectively lead Virginia.

Cuccinelli says this saga also opens an old wound in the commonwealth’s history.

“I think this is a reminder that while we are growing out of the racist past Virginia had, those remnants are still around and they still matter in people’s lives,” said Cuccinelli.

Despite calls to resign from the vast majority of Virginia and national Democrats, Northam is refusing.  Some of his critics want state lawmakers to pursue impeachment charges, but Cuccinelli says they really can’t.

“It’s really up to the governor because impeachment in Virginia is more or less the same as at the federal level.  It’s only for acts taken in office,” said Cuccinelli.  “There’s no availability of impeachment here.  It’s really in Ralph Northam’s hands whether he resigns or not.”

The story got even more bizarre on Monday, with reports that Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax was accused of sexually assaulting a woman at the 2004 Democratic National Convention.  Fairfax is vigorously denying the charge, which was never prosecuted, but Cuccinelli says the Northam mess and the Fairfax allegation are emerging at the busiest possible time in Virginia politics.

Tuesday is what’s known as “crossover,” when the House of Delegates and the State Senate must pass any bills originating from their members or else the opportunity is lost for the year.  Key votes on tax relief and budgeting are taking place with both Northam and Fairfax heavily distracted.

If Northam exits and Fairfax becomes governor, Cuccinelli says the lieutenant governor’s position will remain vacant, but the Senate President Pro-Tem would effectively take over the duties of the office, which could lead to some interesting moments on deadlocked votes.

“[This] could allow him to vote on a bill which then ends up in a tie, and he gets to break the tie,” said Cuccinelli.

While Cuccinelli is aghast at the Northam allegations, he is also stunned that the media could barely stifle a yawn two days before the yearbook story broke, when Northam seemed to defend infanticide in a radio interview.

“The dichotomy has been quite extraordinary

Listen to the full podcast to hear Cuccinelli discuss the Northam and Fairfax allegations in more detail and his frustration with media’s disinterest in the Virginia abortion debate.

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